1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of process control systems having text and graphic indicators for representing process parameter values and the like. A data processor based information system that is variably programmable for indicating process control parameters graphically and textually, according to the invention stores a plurality of equivalent terms in different languages and/or equivalent graphic formats, and converts formatted process control display screens from one language or format to another under operator control via a touch screen, pointer mechanism or the like.
2. Prior Art
It is well known to display process control information graphically, using a variety of labels, lines, charts, graphs, colors and other text and display patterns to illustrate the flow of a process. Often, a graphical pattern reflects a physical layout of a process, with colors for grouping related process systems, the colors, patterns and/or text being changeable to reflect changes in parameter values. Various charts and graphs can be made available to the operators, for example via keystroke selections or by pointing mechanisms such as mice or touch screens.
Network coupled video data terminals are an apt means for presenting a combination text and graphic display of this type. Such devices are programmable to set up formats for graphic display, and can store appropriate messages or labels that control the character displays and graphics used to represent a particular condition of the monitored process. Blinking, color changes, changes to lines or figures and similar depictions can be used to point out occurrences that are detected by the control processor from sensed levels of process parameters or combinations of parameters as compared to stored thresholds. Textual information such as labels or displays of parameter values such as temperatures or pressures are thereby presented to the system operators in a convenient manner for showing critical information such as bottlenecks, equipment malfunctions or potentially dangerous trends, and also are useful more mundanely for generally determining the state of the process.
Such displays are not limited to process flow parameters and can be applied as well to maintenance functions such as usage monitoring. In any event, such process control systems are programmable with respect to precisely what graphic details and text will be used to present information representing a particular process condition. Insofar as the systems are programmable by the operator, it is also typical to provide a graphic user interface (or GUI) that assists the operator in encoding choices for how information will be displayed. Whether included in the graphic user interface to assist in programming or whether selected by the operator for display of process parameter data, the graphics and the text used are customized so as to be most understandable to the particular person to whom the information is to be displayed. Thus, the text and graphic information can be different for different systems, even though the underlying hardware and/or software operational system is the same.
Extensive process parameter displays are advantageous in connection with complex processes, for example to monitor all the interactive systems of an electrical power generation plant such as a pressurized nuclear reactor. "Expert" process control systems are known that are programmably arranged to permit a user to display information for various uses. Systems that model plant behavior as a part of their functions are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,009,833--Takeuchi et al.; 4,908,775--Palusamy et al.; 4,853,175--Book, Sr.; or 4,803,039--Impink, Jr. et al.
Versatile process monitoring systems allow the operators to set up or to select a variety of procedures or display modes, as considered appropriate in a particular process monitoring application. Interactive terminals with inputs and displays are provided whereby the operators can make the necessary selections and view the resulting information displays. Most such systems employ text as a part of the display for interactively presenting information to the operators in connection with set up functions and operational functions. For example, menus may include text for user selection of options, graphs, charts and lines may be labelled to permit the operators to interpret them. In general, more complicated or expert monitoring systems require more text than less complicated ones, to enable the operators to use the system.
The use of text information in interactive systems presents a language difficulty, particularly for persons who may attempt to troubleshoot an unfamiliar setup. When a supplier of a monitoring and control system provides a system for use in a particular country, the system is naturally supplied with or programmed for that country's local language, so that its outputs are comprehensible to the intended users. However, the troubleshooters may be unable to fully understand the setup or the messages and labels that are provided. Although graphic presentations are inherently better subject to understanding independently of language, the same comprehension problems that occur when one is unfamiliar with the language used, also occur if one is unfamiliar with a particular form of graphic presentation.
Conventional computer systems include alternative keyboard mappings that define specific character sets (fonts for display or printing) designed for different languages and selected as a software or firmware function. Thus, one can readily convert a computer hardware setup for use in any of several different languages by changing the keyboard mapping/font selection as a software function, for example by making the appropriate choice in the CMOS setup information of a DOS computer system. This does not convert the underlying data from one language to another. It simply changes the correspondence of individual text characters to the binary codes produced by a standard keyboard or the like and used to drive a display or printer. The keys of a standard keyboard are labelled for the desired language, and used normally, although the character set used has been changed. It is still necessary interactively to operate a data processing system programmed for a particular language in that language. Similarly, in certain Pacific Rim languages, the number of possible characters exceeds what is practical using a keyboard, and software provides an input method for interpreting a sequence of keystrokes to generate one character for display or printing.
It would be advantageous to provide a process monitoring system that is independent of language, and can be operated by persons who are fluent in only one of two or more alternative languages. Bilingual dictionary software is available, for example from Globalink, Inc. (Fairfax, Va.), that can convert terms from one language to another. However, applying a dictionary program to a process control and monitoring system carries a large overhead in memory storage (e.g., German/English requires 15 Megabytes). Processing time requirements may be inconsistent with the monitoring system's processing power. Automatic translation can be prohibitive if more than two languages are attempted. Although these dictionary programs are sensitive to details of grammar and syntax, they are unable to accurately translate certain idiomatic passages and are limited in vocabulary to the extent that they are only practically operable to save the time of a translator who is already moderately conversant in the two languages. It would be particularly advantageous in a process monitoring system if language conversions could be accomplished more directly.
As mentioned above, the problem of enabling operation in two or more symbologies applies to graphics displays in that an operator may be familiar with one form of graphic display and not another form that may be functionally equivalent and is more easily understood by some other operator. An operator of a monitoring or control system may have a preferred graphic manner of depicting certain occurrences, and a display format may be programmably arranged to use selected (i.e., programmed) particulars in graphics. Thus for example, one user may choose to depict a process flow logjam by blinking an area of a process flow line display, another may choose to show the line as broken, and a third may superimpose a barrier indicator. In the U.S.A., it is conventional to take advantage of users' familiarity with traffic signals such as stop lights. Thus, for example, movement or satisfactory conditions are typically shown as green, cautions as yellow and stoppages or critical conditions as red. These conventions may not be as familiar in other cultures. As another example, in the U.S.A. the color black is associated with death or mourning and may be appropriate to designate a stoppage or a machine that is down. In oriental cultures, white is conventionally associated with death or mourning. It would be advantageous if such graphical components were interactively selectable dynamically to permit instant changes between such conventions. A user could choose details of language and graphic formatting, without re-programming the system, as a means to help an operator or troubleshooter that is unfamiliar with a particular application of a monitoring/control system to understand the system quickly, by simply presenting text and graphics in the symbology with which that operator or troubleshooter is most familiar. Such a system would not interfere with operation of the underlying system because only details of the output need to vary to permit customization from operator to operator.
A further advantageous application of interactive conversion as described is the selection of units of measurement used to display numeric data. Metric/English conversions are an example. Another example may be to permit switching between units recommended by particular industry groups (e.g., ANSI vs. ASME, etc.). Whereas all such conversions would be advantageous to enable a user who is particularly conversant in one of the symbologies, which can be construed to include any of these aspects of data presentation, the problem remains in how to arrange for such conversions in the data processing system in a manner that provides the desired result of dynamic interactive selection among two or more equivalents, at a minimum of overhead in terms of memory requirements and processing time.